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Thursday, January 17, 2013

Washington State Teacher of the Year Finalist for National Title

I knew it.

I met the Washington State teacher of the year, Jeff Charbonneau, last week. He was so impressive and I told him I wouldn't be surprised if he were one of the four national finalists. And it was announced today that he is a finalist. The National Teacher of the Year will be announced in April.

Jeff teaches physics, chemistry and engineering at Zillah High School in Zillah, Washington (outside of Yakima). They have 400 students.

After years of perseverance, he was able to offer college-level classes. In his classroom alone, students can earn 24 college credits.

What makes Zillah outstanding? Despite a high minority population (Latino), the school graduates 96% of their seniors.

From the Zillah School District:

Charbonneau is a National Board Certified STEM teacher,
adjunct faculty at three colleges and universities, Pro-Cert
and National Board mentor, co-president of his local
Education Association and advisor to numerous clubs. He has
created a series of college-level offerings in math and
science that allow students in rural Zillah to earn up to 24
college credits before graduating.

Outside of the classroom, Charbonneau has created a
statewide robotics challenge that has served almost 1,000
students. His Pathfinders club teaches backpacking and
hiking skills along with environmental studies and community
service. His yearbook recently digitally preserved over
eighty years of the publication for enjoyment by alumni and
future generations.

From the Yakima Valley:

In recent years, he has successfully initiated articulation agreements
that have given him adjust faculty status with several institutions of
higher learning, allowing his students to obtain college credits with
their high school science class. Since the fall of 2010, Zillah’s
students have been able to earn 10 credits in physics through an
agreement with Central Washington University. In the fall of 2011,
Zillah High School students were able to receive three credits in
engineering, and six in architecture through Yakima Valley Community
College.

This fall, he will become the first high school
instructor in the state to offer five credits in chemistry through
Eastern Washington University. In a nomination letter, Torres said that
prior to Charbonneau, they did not have technology courses at the high
school, and students went off campus to receive instruction in the area.

“Jeff
brought life to the concept of how we could incorporate these classes
using the Computer Assisted Design program, coordinate with our Career
and Technology Education program, and create opportunities for students
in the areas of engineering that will further enhance the chances of
students continuing in the field of science after high school
graduation.

“I have a strange habit of welcoming my students to the class the same
way every class period of every day,” Charbonneau said in his
application for the award. “I say, ‘Welcome back to another day in
paradise’. Paradise simply cannot be found. It must be built,
maintained, and improved each and every day. It requires sweat equity,
triumphs in the face of adversity, and consistent positive attitudes. It
removes the words ‘can’t’, ‘too hard’ and ‘impossible.” To be a great
teacher, one must strive to create a paradise not only within their own
classroom, but also in their school and great community.”

Jeff is such an inspiration and it was a pleasure to meet him. I hope he wins the national title.

Education Acroynms

Advanced Learning - SPS' three-tier program for advanced learners. Made up of APP, Spectrum and ALOs. (Note: the name of the district program is "Advanced Learning Services and Programs" but these three programs fall under "Highly Capable Services" of AL Services and Programs.

ALO - Advanced Learning Opportunity, the third tier of SPS' Advanced Learning program

AP - Advanced Placement. A national program of college-level classes given in high schools.

APP - Accelerated Progress Program. One of the levels of the Advanced Learning Program. NOTE: the name of this program is now "HIGHLY CAPABLE COHORT." This change occurred in 2014.

ASB - Associated Student Body. High school leadership groups.

AYP - Adequate Yearly Progress. Part of NCLB.

BEX - Building Excellence. SPS' capital renovation/rebuilding program that is funded via the BEX levy. Every 3 years there is the Operations levy and either the BEX or BTA levies as those two levies rotate in six year cycles).

BLT - Building Leadership Team. Staff members at a school who meet regularly to discuss building issues.

BTA - Buildings, Technology, Academics. The major maintenance/other capital fund for SPS. Originally BTA was to cover major maintenance like HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), roofs, waterlines, etc.) but now covers wide swaths of items like athletic fields, technology and funding academic needs.

CAICEE - Community Advisory Committee for Investing in Educational Excellence. Created by former Superintendent Manhas in 2008, to issue a report about reform recommendations for SPS.

CSIP - Continuous School Improvement Plan, the plan for improvement for each school as required by state law.

EOC - End of Course Assessments, given in math and science, required for high school graduationESEA - Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the federal law that governs education, includes the NCLB accountability provisions.

e-STEM or e-STEAM - STEM or STEAM curriculum with an environmental focus.

FACMAC - Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Committee. A district committee comprises of an all-volunteer citizen group created in 2012 to help bring research and ideas to capacity management issues in the district.

FERPA - Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. A federal law that protects students' privacy

FRL - Free and reduced lunch.

FTE - Full Time Equivalent

FY - Fiscal Year

Highly Capable Services - NEW name (as of 2014) as umbrella name for these programs: Highly Capable Cohort (formerly APP), Spectrum and ALO (Advanced Learning Opportunities).

HSPE - High School Proficiency Exam, state assessment that replaced the WASL for 10th graders, required for graduation

HQT - Highly Qualified Teacher, a standard set by federal law

IA - Instructional Assistant

IB - International Baccalaureate program. An international program of advanced classes that can either be taken as stand alone or as part of an overall IB program.

IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that governs special education

MAP - Measures of Academic Progress. A computer-based adaptive assessment made by NWEA and originally purchased by the district for use as a district-wide formative assessment but now used for a wide variety of purposes.

MSP - Measurement of Student Progress, the state proficiency assessment that replaced the WASL for students in grades 1-8

MTSS - Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

NCLB - No Child Left Behind, a provision of the federal education law, ESEA, introduced during the George W. Bush administration